Aerosol valve

ABSTRACT

Aerosol valve comprising a socket-shaped body securable to the top of an aerosol container, a stem and elongated flexible arms fast with and integral to the socket-shaped body and the stem. The bottom of the socket-shaped body has a hole, from the lower portion of which a hollow extension projects, on which a drawing tube can be threaded and inserted into the container.

United States Patent Ruscitti 51 July 1 1, 1972 54] AEROSOL VALVE [56] References Cited [72] Inventor: Tomaso Ruscitti, Milan, ltaly UNITED STATES PATENTS [73] Assignee: Coster Tecnologie Speciali S.p.A., Milan, 3,547,405 12/1920 Ewald ..222/402.24 X I l 3,203,026 8/ i965 Schwartzman. ..222/5 1 8 X 3,349,966 10/1967 Schwartzman ..222/5l8 X [221 3, 1970 3,490,658 1/1970 Schwartzman ..222/51s x l N 0, 12 [211 App 0 6 3 Primary ExaminerR0bert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-Norman L Stack. r. [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aflmney-Rlchartl Albel'i Oct. 21, 1969 Italy ..23668 N69 57 S C Aerosol valve comprising a socket-shaped body securable to [52] U.S. Cl ..222/402.24 the p of an aerosol container, a stem and elongated flexible 51 1m. 01 ..B65d 83/14 amts fast with and integral to the Socket-Shaped body and the [58] Field of Search 222/402 24 518 137/525, stem. The bottom of the socket-shaped body has a hole, from 251/326 the lower portion of which a hollow extension projects, on

which a drawing tube can be threaded and inserted into the container.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PKTE'N'TEDJuL 1 1 1972 INVENTOR. TOMASO RUSC ITTI ATTOR NE Y AEROSOL VALVE This invention relates to an aerosol valve, more particularly to an integral aerosol valve.

As known, there is an increasing use for aerosol containers, from which a liquid can be caused to exit as aerosol through a valve such containers are provided with. Owing to the large amount of aerosol containers and accordingly valves which are presently manufactured and on sale, efforts are attempted to keep as low as possible the cost of such valves, to simplify the operations for the assembly thereof onto the containers and to make the operation thereof as free as possible of drawbacks.

The aerosol container valves at present in use comprise a main body securable to the top of an aerosol container, a hollow stem through which the aerosol material can be caused to exit from the container, and a spring, one end of which abutting on the main body and the other end of which abutting on the stern, this spring tending to urge the stem away from the main body. Most commonly, the main body and stem are made of plastic material, while the spring is of metal. There fore, the main body, stem and spring are obtained separately and next interconnected and then assembled on the top of the aerosol container. As apparent, the separate provision for the main body, stem and spring of the valve and the connection thereof involve production costs which are comparatively high; it is also apparent that where the connection for the main body, stem and valve, particularly the spring positioning, is not perfectly accomplished, the valve may faultily operate or be also unusable.

An object of the present invention is to provide an aerosol valve comprising a main body, a stem and spring means operating between the stem and main body, directly integrally made by a single stamping operation, so that the cost for the valve is extremely reduced. t

Another object of the invention is to provide an aerosol valve of a simple structure, reliable and wherein the deformable spring means operating between the main body and stem are enclosed and protected within the main body, so as not to be damaged during the operations for assembling the valve onto the container bottom.

These and still further objects are attained by an aerosol valve, wherein the main body, stem and resiliently yieldable means reacting between the stem and main body are integrally made of resiliently deformable material, the main body being substantially shaped as a socket with a continuous peripheral wall and a bottom having a hole, from one side of which a tubular extension projects from the bottom and extends outwardly of the socket-shaped body and on the otherside of which there projects from said bottom at least one elongated flexible arm forming said resiliently yieldable means and extending within the body to said stem, at least one portion of which projects beyond the free edge of the socket-shaped body.

In order that the valve structure and features be more fully understood, an embodiment thereof will now be described by mere way of not limiting example, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is an axial longitudinal section of the valve;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section of the valve according to line II-II of FIG. 1; and

F IG. 3 is an axial section of the valve as assembled on the bottom of an aerosol container.

As shown in the drawing, the valve is integrally made of resiliently deformable material, preferably plastic material, and comprises a main body substantially configurated as a socket and formed of a continuous peripheral wall I and a bottom 2, having a hole from one side of which a tubular extension 3 projects and extends outwardly of the socket-shaped body, and on the other side of which four elongated flexible arms 4 project from the bottom 2 and extend within the socket-shaped body to a stem 5 projecting beyond the shaped free edge 6 of the main body.

Longitudinal ribs 7 project from the inner surface of the peripheral wall 1 for the socket-shaped body and extend from the bottom 2 to adjacent the edge 6 of the main body.

As particularly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the flexible anns 4 project inwardly of the cylindrical bore or recess defined by the inner surface of the tubular extension 3, and this for enabling a ready manufacturing of the valve by stamping. It

could also be seen that the stem 5 is internally hollow and has at least one small hole 8 passing throughout the width of the wall for said stem 5. The bore or recess of the stem is closed at the bottom by a wall 9 to which the upper ends of the flexible arms 4 are connected.

It will be seen that while for the quite substantial width of the peripheral wall 1 and bottom 2 and the provision of ribs 7 the main body is substantially rigid and deformable with difficulty, the elongated arms 4, because of the relatively reduced width thereof, the somewhat reduced cross-section thereof and length thereof, are readily flexible and may resiliently be deformed when a pressure action is exerted on the stem 5, tending to move the latter near the bottom 2 and to tilt it laterally of the main body axis.

Reference is now made to FIG. 3, wherein the valve is shown as mounted onto a top 10, provided with a seal 11 and of a type intended to be assembled on an aerosol container in a per se known manner.

When the valve is made fast with the top 10, said top is inwardly deformed in known manner to hook and firmly hold a portion 12 of the main body which projects outwardly of the peripheral wall 1. Between the top of the top 10 and stem 5 a seal 13 is clamped and is firmly held by the free edge 6 of the main body and prevents any leakage of aerosol liquid from a finished container on which the valve is mounted: it will be seen that under the inoperative conditions as shown in FIG. 3, said seal 13 closes the hole 8 of stem 5. It will be also 'seen that the seal 13 bears on the upper ends of ribs 7, as shown in FIG. 3.

When the valve is mounted on the top 10, the stem 5 is kept pressed to the top 2, so that at inoperative condition the arms 4 will take the bent position as shown in FIG. 3. Under these conditions, when the valve is mounted on an aerosol container, the liquid in the container will move up through the plastic tube 14 within the space defined by the wall 1 and bottom 2 of the socket-shaped main body, so that within said socket body there is normally a liquid, while outside the socket body there is the propelling gas for maintaining the pressure inside the container.

When on the valve stem 5 a known type of dispensing cap is mounted and a downward pressure is exerted thereon, or the stem is bent laterally of the position as shown in FIG. 3, the liquid in the socket-shaped body can enter through the hole 8 within the bore of stem 8 and then exit from the dispensing cap, as in accordance with the prior art.

From the foregoing, the valve structure simplicity will be apparent and it will be readily understood that such a valve is reliable and inexpensive to produce.

lclaim:

1. An aerosol valve securable within the sealed closure top of an aerosol container comprising:

a body portion of a general cup-shape having cylindrical outer walls, a circumferential upper free edge, and a bottom integral with said outer walls with a centrally located hole extending through said bottom;

a tubular extension integral with said bottom extending from around said hole downwardly from said bottom;

at least one elongated resiliently yieldable arm integral with said bottom and extending upwardly from adjacent said hole, said arm having an engaging surface adjacent the upper end;

a stern integral with said upper end of said yieldable arm and operable in a vertical direction with said yieldable arm, said stem extending upwardly from said yieldable arm beyond said free edge and having passage means therein; whereby said valve when secured within said closure top is sealed against the inside surface of said closure top adjacent said free edge, said stem projects upwardly through said top, and said engaging surface of said yieldable arm is coupled to said inner surface of said closure top to resiliently deform said yieldable arm downwardly causing said yieldable arm to urge said stern upwardly.

2. The aerosol valve as claimed in claini 1, wherein said cylindrical outer walls include longitudinal ribs projecting from the inner surface of said walls and extending from said bottom to adjacent said upper free edge, whereby said walls are strengthened to prevent buckling when said valve is installed in said closure top.

3. The aerosol valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein said valve is made of plastic.

4. The aerosol valve as claimed in claim 1, including a seal member positioned adjacent said free edge for sealing said valve to said inner surface of said closure top.

5, The aerosol valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein said stem is tubular and has a bottom wall adjacent said upper end of said yieldable arm, and a hole adjacent said bottom wall extending through the tubular wall of said stem to define said passage means.

6. An aerosol valve securable within the sealed closure top of an aerosol container comprising:

a body portion of a general cup-shape having cylindrical outer walls, a circumferential upper free edge, and a bottom integral with said outer walls with a centrally located hole extending through said bottom;

a tubular extension integral with said bottom extending from around said hole downwardly from said bottom;

at least one elongated resiliently yieldable arm integral with said bottom and extending upwardly from adjacent said hole, said arm having an engaging surface adjacent the upper end;

a stem integral with said upper end of said yieldable arm and operable in a vertical direction with said yieldable arm, said stem extending upwardly from said yieldable arm beyond said free edge and having passage means therein;

an annular seal member positioned adjacent said free edge and mounted concentrically around said stem, said seal member sealing said valve to said closure top and providing an operable seal on the inner annular surface of said member between said passage means and the interior of said container; whereby said valve when secured within said closure top is sealed against the inside surface of said closure top adjacent said free edge, said stem projects upwardly through said top, and said engaging surface of said yieldable arm is coupled to said inner surface of said closure top to resiliently deform said yieldable arm downwardly causing said yieldable am to urge said stem upwardly. 

1. An aeroSol valve securable within the sealed closure top of an aerosol container comprising: a body portion of a general cup-shape having cylindrical outer walls, a circumferential upper free edge, and a bottom integral with said outer walls with a centrally located hole extending through said bottom; a tubular extension integral with said bottom extending from around said hole downwardly from said bottom; at least one elongated resiliently yieldable arm integral with said bottom and extending upwardly from adjacent said hole, said arm having an engaging surface adjacent the upper end; a stem integral with said upper end of said yieldable arm and operable in a vertical direction with said yieldable arm, said stem extending upwardly from said yieldable arm beyond said free edge and having passage means therein; whereby said valve when secured within said closure top is sealed against the inside surface of said closure top adjacent said free edge, said stem projects upwardly through said top, and said engaging surface of said yieldable arm is coupled to said inner surface of said closure top to resiliently deform said yieldable arm downwardly causing said yieldable arm to urge said stem upwardly.
 2. The aerosol valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cylindrical outer walls include longitudinal ribs projecting from the inner surface of said walls and extending from said bottom to adjacent said upper free edge, whereby said walls are strengthened to prevent buckling when said valve is installed in said closure top.
 3. The aerosol valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein said valve is made of plastic.
 4. The aerosol valve as claimed in claim 1, including a seal member positioned adjacent said free edge for sealing said valve to said inner surface of said closure top.
 5. The aerosol valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein said stem is tubular and has a bottom wall adjacent said upper end of said yieldable arm, and a hole adjacent said bottom wall extending through the tubular wall of said stem to define said passage means.
 6. An aerosol valve securable within the sealed closure top of an aerosol container comprising: a body portion of a general cup-shape having cylindrical outer walls, a circumferential upper free edge, and a bottom integral with said outer walls with a centrally located hole extending through said bottom; a tubular extension integral with said bottom extending from around said hole downwardly from said bottom; at least one elongated resiliently yieldable arm integral with said bottom and extending upwardly from adjacent said hole, said arm having an engaging surface adjacent the upper end; a stem integral with said upper end of said yieldable arm and operable in a vertical direction with said yieldable arm, said stem extending upwardly from said yieldable arm beyond said free edge and having passage means therein; an annular seal member positioned adjacent said free edge and mounted concentrically around said stem, said seal member sealing said valve to said closure top and providing an operable seal on the inner annular surface of said member between said passage means and the interior of said container; whereby said valve when secured within said closure top is sealed against the inside surface of said closure top adjacent said free edge, said stem projects upwardly through said top, and said engaging surface of said yieldable arm is coupled to said inner surface of said closure top to resiliently deform said yieldable arm downwardly causing said yieldable arm to urge said stem upwardly. 